1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hairbrushes, and in particular to hairbrushes incorporating a liquid dispensing assembly.
2. Description of Related Art
A common problem encountered by hairdressers and individuals occurs during the acts of styling or curling hair with a hairbrush with one hand, and then picking up a bottle of hair spray or setting fluid and spraying the hair that is curled or otherwise styled with the brush with the other hand. The individual or stylist also typically sets down the bottle to manipulate a hairdryer so that the fluid can be dried while the hair is in the curled or styled position. This is a tedious but conventional method typically repeated dozens of times by each stylist hundreds of times per month, and can lead to repetitive motion injuries or conditions.
There exist various types of hairbrushes with integrated spray structures. However, a common problem among those that exist relates to the ease of manipulation of the mechanism that actuates the spray. For instance, RE25585, US D279648 and U.S. Pat. No. 1,891,471 show mechanisms at the back of the handle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,531 describes a brush in which the spray emits from the opposite end. U.S. Pat. No. 7,011,468, U.S. Pat. No. 5,927,290 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,055,195 disclose pressurized reservoirs. U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,737 discloses an electric pump. US 2004/0031499A1 discloses fluid that is discharged via gravitational force. U.S. Pat. No. 5,024,243, U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,108 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,617,431 disclose brushes in which the handle must be squeezed in order to spray fluid.
Certain brush configurations have a trigger mechanism proximate the intersection of the handle and the brush head. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,557,619 discloses an aerosol can in which a wire element couples to a trigger of the spray can. In addition, the trigger is in a compromising position. With the relation to the brush head bristles and the spray trigger it is inevitable hair would become entangled in the trigger when in use for curling and other styling operations.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,235,637 discloses a pair of studs to manipulate a piston. Liquid travels through a number of narrow chambers leaving the pump system difficult to clean and maintain.
US 2002/0153020A1 discloses an actuator on a spray bottle at the intersection of the handle and the brush head. The liquid sprays through bristle chambers, and uses a brush handle/aerosol can that is disposable. Aerosol cans have a wide grip making it difficult to manipulate around the head.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,339,745 discloses a trigger for moving a valve plate that regulates liquid dispensation. This design is intended for low viscosity fluids, and it is difficult to control the amount of fluid being sprayed.
Therefore, a need exists for a brush with a dispensing apparatus that is easy to manipulate, convenient to clean and refill, and conducive to dispensing fluid during the styling process thus alleviating the labor involved by stylists and individuals.